Tapestry
by transmutejun
Summary: Count Egobossler is about to undergo a change in his destiny... but there is more to that change than meets the eye. Written for Amyltrer.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sunlight was fading as the twilight came on, but still the woman carried on with her work. The stitching she was finishing up was delicate, and required extra attention. She had gotten into a steady rhythm and was nearly finished.

Her long hair fell across her face as her soft eyes focused intently on what she was doing. She squinted in what remained of the light as she pulled the last thread through, finally completing the complex embroidery on the front of the smooth fabric. Her reputation for excellence had finally reached the right ears, and she had been commissioned to create elaborate designs for a matching set of chairs in the Count's household.

It was the chance she had been waiting for.

She had lived in this dingy hut for too long… forever, it seemed. But these good people had taken her in when she had nothing, fleeing from the terrible war that had nearly torn the planet apart. She had wanted to hide, and they had let her do so, never asking any questions she didn't want to answer. Strangely enough, because they trusted her, the woman trusted them. In the past few years she had become an important part of the Satenforhen community. She had begun working as a seamstress: an apprentice to the woman who had performed that function at the time. Satenforhen's resident tailor was quite elderly, and had no heirs, and was happy to teach the woman her craft.

The woman had done beautiful work in her girlhood, but hadn't had much time to practice this feminine art once her guardian had taken control of her. He had had plans for her… plans with which she didn't agree. Ultimately, this was what had caused the woman to run away from the only life she had ever known. It seemed so far away now... almost as if it had happened to another person. An entirely different person.

A person she didn't want to be anymore.

And so, the woman had embraced her position, graciously accepting what she had been offered, and repaying twice over in hard work and dedication.

Once her mentor had passed away, the woman had easily taken on all of the work the villagers had sent to her, and proven herself more than capable. She had even done some work for the Count's household, albeit small projects of little importance, such as repairing torn sheets and towels.

And then, one day, Mistress Hutanu had come to her in a terrible state of distress. Her daughter, Ecaterina, was due to wed her sweetheart, Constantin Volmer, within a week. Constantin was the mayor's son, and this was a social coup for Mistress Hutanu, a widower with low prestige and small means.

Constantin's mother had promised to supply Ecaterina with a wedding gown 'befitting her station'. Unfortunately, that had meant a hideous dress made out of rough linen, obviously showing that the poor girl did not come from wealth. It was clear that Mistress Volmer resented her son's choice of a bride.

With barely a week to the wedding, Mistress Hutanu had begged the woman to help, bringing the dress to her in the hopes that it could somehow be salvaged.

The woman had done more than salvage it. She had put in a soft lining, so that the rough fabric would not scratch Ecaterina's soft skin. Then she had spent every waking moment embroidering the outside of the gown with gold, silver, and jewel-toned threads, creating a pattern so brilliant and beautiful that the girl shone like a precious gem on her wedding day. No one in the village had ever seen anything so stunning, and Mistress Hutanau had praised the woman's name to the heavens, especially once it was discovered that she had refused to accept even a copper coin for her hard work.

Mistress Volmer had been angry that her plans had been thwarted, but had been easily mollified when the woman had presented her with an equally beautiful head scarf, to wear as mother of the groom.

After that day, the woman's position in the village had shifted somewhat, and people had begun asking her to perform more and more embroidery work.

Then, a few months ago, her work had finally come to the attention of the Majordomo of the Count's household, and the woman had been commissioned with some small pieces, to test her abilities. She had performed satisfactorily, and the Majordomo had assigned her a difficult task: that of the two chairs. The seat back fabric had been removed from the chairs, so that she could embroider the Egobossler family's scorpion crest upon them.

She had just begun the first chair back, when word came to the village that the old Count had died. The circumstances were mysterious, and filtered rumors reached her ears, stating that the man had been murdered by one of the servants in his home. Apparently his son Kaseru had fallen ill as a result of this devastating news. He had recovered, but there had apparently been some strange side effects of the disease, and it was said that his skin now had a strange blue tone, and that his hair had gone white.

The woman had contacted the Majordomo, who had told her to continue with her task, as the new Count would still want the chairs.

In the last couple of weeks, it had seemed that the new Count had walked right from his sickbed and into his study, where he had begun a military conquest of the world. Every day now, it seemed that they were hearing of another country that had fallen to the might of the Egobossler armies.

It appeared that Kaseru Egobossler was destined to rule the world.

The woman was just putting her work away when she heard the sound of booted footsteps outside of her dwelling. A heavy knock sounded; as if her door were being pounded by a large fist. Muted sounds of deep voices filtered through from the other side.

The woman felt somewhat nervous, involuntarily remembering a time in her past when she had been vulnerable, and prey to roaming gangs of men. Once she had been caught by such a group… and once had been enough. She never wished to endure that terror again. They had taken her maidenhead, in more ways than one, and the pain had been unbearable. They had left her for dead, but once the men had gone, she had managed to pull herself up from the ground and carry on, by sheer will alone. It had been in this bedraggled state that she had first come across the village of Satenforhen.

But she was safe here. The woman took a deep breath, trying to remember that fact. She had neighbors: people who respected her, and who would come at the first sign of trouble. Yet it was still with a shaking hand that she answered the door.

She had not expected to see the Count himself outside of her humble dwelling.

"You are the seamstress?" he asked bluntly, as she threw herself to the ground, prostrating herself before the authority he represented. His mere presence seemed to exude a sense of restrained power, like a caged tiger stalking back and forth across a small cage.

"Yes, Milord." she gasped, not daring to lift her face from her filthy floor.

"I have a task for you." he said, in a deep, commanding tone.

"Whatever you require." the woman groveled.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Egobossler complained.

"There is no light switch, Sire." one of the men accompanying the Count revealed.

"I do not have electric power." the woman explained in a quavering voice. "I was about to light a fire."

"No power?" the Count appeared not to understand such a thing. Of course not! How could such a great man know of poverty, and the inability to afford what he must consider the most basic of necessities?

"No, Milord." she replied, her face still pressed into the floor.

"You may rise." Egobossler graciously offered, and she did so, being careful to keep her eyes to the floor. She knew that high ranking nobility didn't always like having the lower classes look upon them, and this new Count was probably even more sensitive to this, given the oddities of appearance he now possessed.

She had only seen a flash of blue skin when she had answered the door, but it had been enough for her to know that all of the rumors were true.

With trembling hands, the woman moved to the fireplace, striking the flint she kept on the mantle with a small dagger, sending a spark into the neat pile of kindling that she had already laid out. Within moments, a cozy warmth spread from the glowing fire.

"What is this?" the Count asked, walking over toward the chair where she had been sitting when he had arrived. The woman turned her head just enough to see that Egobossler was holding the cloth for the chair back that she had finished embroidering only moments ago. He was gazing intently at the display of his family crest that was emblazoned upon it.

"It is yours, Milord!" the woman rushed to explain, afraid that the Count would think that she had stolen something that belonged to him. "Majordomo Wingert commissioned me to embroider your family crest on two chair backs. I have just this moment finished the second."

"I have seen the other." the Count commented. "It is in my study. I did not realize there was a second chair that accompanied it." He paused, gazing at the crest. "From what I can tell, this one is identical to the other. You do excellent work, Mistress…"

The woman paused. He was asking for her name.

"Nimeni." she replied quietly, her lowered posture revealing her shame.

"Mistress… Nimeni?" Egobossler asked. "That means…"

"Yes, Milord." the woman confirmed, her voice nearly choking with her humiliation. "I have no family. I am 'no one'."

"That is hardly of any importance in this matter." he said, his voice sounding softer… almost… sympathetic? No, surely such a great man would not be feeling this kind of emotion on her behalf.

But she felt a gentle touch on her chin, and her face was slowly raised to the Count's view. The woman kept her eyes lowered, not daring to be so bold as to gaze upon the visage of greatness.

"You may look at me." the Count chuckled softly, as if bemused by her demeanor. "I want to see your eyes."

Slowly, she raised her eyes to behold his face. She gasped quietly, noting his handsome, aristocratic features, not diminished at all by the unusual blue tone to his skin. Her gaze finally rested upon his pale grey eyes, and she trembled as she felt a strange connection to this man.

Egobossler smiled, and the smile went through to his eyes.

"Mistress Nimeni," he said, not releasing her face from his hand, "Majordomo Wingert recommended your services to me, and I can see by your work that he was correct in his assessment of you."

"What do you require, Milord?" the woman asked. Instinctively, she attempted to lower her head as she offered her services, but the Count's intent gaze held her captive, and his finger pressed gently into her the upper part of her throat, causing her to continue looking up at his face.

"I am told," he chuckled again, "that my attire is not appropriate for a future world ruler."

One of the Count's men shuffled uncomfortably.

"Sire, I only suggested…"

"I know what you suggested!" Egobossler snapped, turning away from the woman, but not releasing her face from his hand. The woman could feel his anger through his light touch, and she was afraid.

The Count turned back, and saw her fear in her eyes.

"I apologize." he said gently. "I did not mean to frighten you."

The woman did not know how to respond to this, so she remained silent.

"In any case," Egobossler continued, as if he had never been interrupted, "I require a new set of garments. Something befitting my current position. I would like you to make them, as quickly as possible."

"It would be my pleasure, Milord." With a confidence she did not know she possessed, the woman tore her face away from the Count's soft touch, looking at the garments he currently wore. A white shirt and black pants fit him well, but did not indicate his proper status, despite their elegance.

"I will begin immediately." she said. "I think I know what would suit a gentleman of your stature."

The Count appeared to find this statement amusing, but the woman could not determine why this was.

"You will come with me." he commanded.

"Milord?"

"This is no place for you to live!" he declared, sweeping his arm around the small dwelling. "And you will need to be close to me, for fittings and such. I will see that you have access to all of the fabric in my storehouses."

"Yes, Milord." she bowed her head again. "Thank you."

"Gather what you need, and we will depart." Egobossler instructed her, and the woman rushed to comply. She practically ran into her tiny bedroom, throwing in the few dresses she owned, and her hairbrush. There was nothing else she truly cared about, save for her sewing box.

She returned to the other room to fetch it, and saw the Count directing his men to wrap up the chair back fabric in a clean cloth. The woman smiled to herself, pleased that her Lord was satisfied with her work, and treating her efforts with respect.

"I am ready." she said quietly.

"Is that all?" the Count asked, his eyes sweeping over her meager possessions.

"It is all I possess." the woman replied.

Again, she thought she saw a look expression of compassion and understanding in Egobossler's eyes, and she was confused. Why would someone who had been born to privilege have such feelings?

Still, the woman took it as a good sign, and left her home without a second glance, following the Count and his men up the steep hill, to Satenforhen Castle.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Erun Egobossler smiled to himself. Ever since he had enacted his revenge upon his father and half-brother, his life had been unfolding to give him his heart's desires, beyond even his wildest dreams.

First, no one had come forth to suggest that he was not truly the Egobossler heir. The servants who knew the truth had been killed, or gone into hiding, afraid to speak. Erun knew that these few would be tracked down and eliminated, and he did not worry about them.

Instead, he had focused on military conquest, and he had been very successful in his endeavors. Already he had taken control of much of Asia and Iropa, and now he had set his sights on the Ifriquin continent. His forces had not suffered even one defeat, and the UN resistance had hardly been a serious challenge to his might.

Within a month, it was clear that Erun Egobossler, once merely the bastard child of a minor nobleman and a maid, would be the de facto ruler of three continents.

And then, he would set his sights on Ameris.

He smiled to himself, lost in his pleasant daydreams.

Of course, there had been only one fly in the ointment. There was no one to share his success with; no one who would welcome him home after each battle, exulting in his joys and supporting him in his endeavors.

And then, he had met Mistress Nimeni.

The woman was an enigma. She was obviously not a girl, yet she was young, and beautiful. His heart sang when he looked at her, but there was something guarded behind her gracious face and humble demeanor. Her manners bespoke an elegance well above her station, yet she never took on airs or accepted what he offered with anything but the utmost graciousness.

The Count had made discreet inquiries about the village, and had heard about how she had arrived at Satenforhen: barely able to walk after some kind of brutal attack. She had never spoken of it, but the villagers who had taken her in had said that she had obviously been viciously treated in ways only a woman could be. It was no wonder she had accepted the name of 'Nimeni'. She clearly did not want whomever had mistreated her to find her.

Despite this, she had earned the respect of his people, and slowly, that of Erun himself.

She had sized him for his new garments, blushing prettily as she had taken the measurements for his inseam, and had selected the finest fabrics from his storeroom. Tonight, barely two weeks after she had begun, she would be finished, and he would try on his new clothes for her.

And if things went as he planned, he would be taking them off for her as well.

She entered his bedroom, bowing and keeping her eyes modestly lowered.

"I have completed your garments, Milord." she said quietly, laying her work on a nearby table.

"Excellent!" Erun grinned, his eyes surveying what she had made. He picked up a long black coat. It had an elegant cut, open in front with gold embroidery at the cuffs, and along the red lining. There was a purple shirt with a matching red and gold collar that went underneath it, and a pair of white pants made from the finest soft leather. Purple gloves and elegant boots completed the ensemble.

He moved behind a privacy screen, noting Mistress Nimeni's blushing smile as he changed, then presented himself to her.

The clothes were soft, comfortable, and fit him like a second skin. Even more, they clearly showed that he was a man of power, a man of elegance, and a man before whom the world would tremble.

"Thank you." Egobossler said, taking her hands in his own and bringing them to his lips.

A small gasp escaped her throat as she felt his light touch, and a deep pink color spread across her cheeks.

"I am glad that they please you, Milord." she whispered.

"I would be pleased if you would join me for dinner, Mistress Nimeni." he said.

"I…" she pulled away slightly, then appeared to think better of her actions.

"I would like that very much, Milord." she smiled, bowing her head.

"What is your first name?" Erun asked, tilting her chin up to look at him.

"Kate." she said, after a small hesitation. "You may call me Kate, Milord."

"And you may call me… Kaseru." His lips twisted distastefully as he said his brother's name. But Erun knew that he had to keep up the façade, for now, at least.

"Thank you… Kaseru." she tried out his name, the sound of it on her tongue almost like a caress.

Erun couldn't help himself. He bent his head, capturing her mouth with his. Kate moaned softly, falling into his arms and unconsciously pressing her body against him. She was a delicious armful, and suddenly, Erun didn't want to wait until dinner.

"What is it about you that intoxicates me so?" he asked, his nostrils filling with the scent of vanilla and roses as he buried his face in her hair.

"Probably the same thing that I find so fascinating about you." she whispered. "Not that I know what it is."

Erun pulled back for a moment, startled. He had not truly expected a response to his rhetorical question, and what she said both surprised and pleased him.

"Perhaps it was meant to be, between us." he smiled.

"Perhaps." Kate nodded, her face a mask of seriousness.

He kissed her again, his hands moving down her slim form, hugging the soft curves that had tantalized him since they had first met. She was clearly unfamiliar with this kind of closeness between men and women, but followed his lead, moving where his hands guided her, and eagerly returning his kisses.

He moved his fingers upward, swiftly unbuttoning her dress, needing to feel his bare flesh against hers. Once the garment was undone he gently pushed it from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor where it puddled at her feet. Her undergarments quickly followed, and soon she was naked before his gaze.

He felt her stiffen beneath his touch, and saw the fear in her eyes.

"Shhhh…." he whispered, understanding her reluctance. "I won't hurt you. I will be gentle."

Kate relaxed somewhat, and Erun picked her up, carrying her over to his bed and laying her down upon it. He divested himself of his new garments, carefully putting them aside.

Kate did not watch him, but kept her eyes shut tight, her breathing quick and harsh. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"It is all right, Kate." Erun said gently, lying down beside her and caressing her softly with his warm hands.

"I am sorry Milord… Kaseru." Kate said, speaking through clenched teeth. "I do not mean to insult you. It is just…"

"What did they do to you?" he asked.

"How did you know?" She opened her eyes, turning to face him, surprise written all over her face.

"The villagers told me… and I guessed, after your reaction to my touch, just now."

"I am sorry, Kaseru. I am not worthy of your attentions." Kate sounded as if she were about to cry.

"You are worthy." Erun reassured her, cradling her in his arms. "More than worthy. If you did not desire what they did to you, then it was not your fault."

"I was foolish." Kate sobbed into his shoulder. "I was careless. I let them see that I was alone. They… took advantage of that."

"I…" Kate looked up at Erun, her tearstained face pulling at his heartstrings, "I am not a maid, Erun."

"I guessed as much." he told her. "It doesn't matter to me." He meant it. Kate had touched him in a way that he hadn't experienced before, and something that had been out of her control didn't bother him in the least.

What mattered was how she reacted to him, now.

"I would like to… be with you." Kate attempted to explain. "I just… don't know how."

"The most important thing is that you have to trust me." Erun said softly. "I will not harm you, but neither of us will enjoy being together if you are nervous and restrained."

"I will." Kate whispered. "I trust you, Kaseru."

That was all he needed to hear. He bent his mouth to hers, kissing her softly until he heard her moaning beneath him. His hands stroked her soft skin, teasing her until she unconsciously pressed herself into his touch.

He took her breast in his mouth, smiling to himself as he heard her cry out with pleasure. She truly was giving herself to him… trusting him… letting him sweep her away with her own passions.

He had never been more aroused in his life.

He continued to lavish his attentions upon her breasts, slowly touching the core of her femininity with his fingers, until she appeared ready to consummate their intimacy.

"Oh, Kaseru…" she sighed, her head rolling on the pillow.

Erun grimaced only slightly at hearing her call out his brother's name, but took heart in the knowledge that she was speaking to _him_. Carefully, he entered her body, waiting for her to enclose him fully before moving within her softness.

Kate entwined her arms about him, unconsciously pulling him closer to her, and he kissed her again and again, joining with her mouth as he had already joined with her most feminine place, until they both culminated in a burst of passion that left them exhausted and sated.

"Kate…" he whispered, trailing his fingers down her cheek. "Stay with me. Don't go back to the village. Stay with me."

It was not an order, but a request. Kate looked up at Erun, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I will, Kaseru." she smiled, kissing him lightly. "I will never leave you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had been a month since Kaseru had first taken her to his bed, and every moment they could since then, they had been in each other's arms. It was only when Kaseru was waging war that he had left her, and he always returned afterward, happier than ever.

About a week ago, he had come home with a strange tale. His forces had been besieging a city in Irope when the Science Ninja Team had come out to counter him. Kate was surprised. She had not realized that the ISO would be involved in this kind of activity. Wasn't it up to the UN to be the military arm of the world governments?

But even so, what happened next was more surprising. A giant mecha had come and destroyed the ship of the Science Ninja Team. Kaseru had had no idea where it was from, until a floating pyramid appeared in the sky, dwarfing even the enormous mecha. Kaseru told her how he had been pulled inside, and introduced to a powerful being, who had wanted to join forces with him.

In her heart, Kate knew that this was not as simple as it appeared. The sound of this… entity… with whom Kaseru had conversed was ominous, and yet Kaseru refused to believe that this agreement could be anything but beneficial.

Kate pondered the issue again, wondering how to bring up her concerns to Kaseru. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this new ally was wrong, and she wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

A sudden chill ran down her spine.

It was near.

She sensed it: an evil that washed over her like a flood of icy water. She cried out in fear, running to Kaseru's office, hoping to find him and persuade him to turn away from this creature, before it was too late.

But as she arrived, she found Kaseru fiddling with a small bracelet on his wrist, something she had never seen him wear before.

"No, Kaseru!" Kate cried out, running toward him. He turned, and her fingers brushed his coat, just as he was enveloped by a strange beam of light.

"Kate!" he cried, pulling her close to him, within the light. "You shouldn't have come here!"

"I was worried for you!" she sobbed. "This isn't right, Kaseru! I sense a great evil from this creature!"

"It is all right, dearest one." Kaseru sighed, kissing away her kisses. "I will explain your presence to him, and he will send you back, so we can have our conference. When I am done, I will return to you, and we can discuss this matter."

The light swirled around them, changing colors and shifting the view of the room. Only… it wasn't the room that was shifting. Kate realized that they were rising up above the floor, moving through the very walls of the castle, until they were outside of Satenforhen itself, being drawn toward a massive metal pyramid that floated above the village.

Kate screamed as they approached, and shut her eyes, only to be gently reassured by Kaseru's hold around her.

A strange sensation passed through her body as they entered the pyramid, and something snapped inside of her. It was as if her mind was opening up, revealing things she had never known, or suspected, about herself.

This entity… this_thing_ that had drawn them inside of itself, was her former guardian! Even as she tried to shut out the flood of memory, she found herself recalling the person she used to be… someone she wanted to deny. Someone she no longer wanted to be.

"Are you all right, Kate?" Kaseru asked, his voice full of concern. He was standing… well, she supposed you could call it standing, since there really was no floor, just a vast black emptiness. She had collapsed down next to him, and he gently helped her to her feet.

"Don't be worried." he said. "I will have him send you back, right away."

"No!" Kate screamed. "Don't let him see me! I have to hide!"

Frantically, she pushed away from Kaseru, running from his position, looking desperately for a place to hide. But there was nothing. Just the dark emptiness that stretched in front of her.

"Kate!"

She heard Kaseru calling after her, but his voice was small in the vastness they occupied, and easily ignored. There _had_ to be a way out. A way she could escape this being's notice.

"Who is this, Egobossler?" a voice boomed, its evil rasp worming its way into her mind, and making her cry out. She fell to her knees, attempting to cover her head with her hands. But she knew it was futile.

"This is Kate…" Kaseru tried to explain. "She accidentally came with me. Please send her back, so we may discuss more important matters."

A swirl of colored lights approached, covering an ominous shape that only had the barest resemblance to a recognizable creature. But in her mind, Kate saw the image of a blue bird superimposed over the horrifying visage in front of her.

"I cannot believe it!" the voice sounded surprised, and amused.

"What's going on here?" Kaseru demanded, but Kate and the entity ignored him.

"How did you survive?" the entity asked, but Kate refused to answer. She attempted to shut down her mind as much as possible, to prevent that Thing from invading her privacy.

But her feeble attempts at resistance proved futile, as deep down she had known they would. Kate screamed as she felt that Thing pushing its psionic tentacles into her mind, sorting through her memories as if they were films for its entertainment.

"Ah…" sighed the Thing, as Kaseru raged.

"What are you doing to her?" Egobossler demanded angrily. "Send her back! She hasn't done anything to you!"

"I don't know what you were thinking, bringing her here." the entity sneered at Kaseru. "Do you even know who she is?"

"I know that she is the woman I love!" cried Kaseru, "And I won't let you treat her this way!"

Despite the bizarre circumstances, Kate's heart swelled upon hearing Kaseru declare his feelings for her. A reserve of strength she didn't know she had opened up inside of her.

"You cannot control me!" she cried, wrenching her mind away from the invasion of the entity. "My thoughts are my own!"

"I created you." the voice sneered. "You are _mine_, Berg Katse."

"_That name_ is no longer mine!" Kate cried, pushing back with her mind. "You don't own me, simply because you altered my existence!" But the memories rushing through her head told her otherwise… Running through a slim fissure cut in the rock, the orange-red glow of a lava pit behind him, the oppressive heat pushing him onward… emerging to find that his body had changed… he was now Kate…

No… she was _not_ Berg Katse. That life was behind her; Berg Katse was dead.

"Berg Katse?" Kaseru's face was almost white with shock.

"I'm not that person any more, Kaseru!" Kate cried, running to Kaseru and clutching at his coat. "You have to believe me! I don't want to return to that life! You must destroy X, whatever you do!"

"Just as you are no longer Berg Katse, I am no longer X." the voice sneered. "I am Z, and I have evolved beyond the being you once served."

Egobossler looked at Kate, his face full of confusion.

"You said you loved me…" Kate pleaded. "I am that person, Kaseru… the person you loved… the person you showed _how_ to love…"

Kaseru stood still for a moment, then brushed his lips against Kate's.

"I still love you." he said. "I have seen what Sosai Z can do, and I know that whatever he has done to _you_ is not your fault."

"Thank you, Kaseru..." Kate sobbed. "I love you…"

"How touching…" sneered Z, "but I am afraid that this scene is over."

"What do you mean?" Egobossler asked, but suddenly he was engulfed by a beam of light, blasting him away from Kate.

"Kate!" he cried, unable to move as she began to scream in agony.

"You could destroy me, Berg Katse." Z said in a vicious tone. "So I shall destroy you first."

A terrible sound rent the air, Kate's screams mixed with those of Kaseru's, as the world shimmered and shook…

88888

Erun awoke to find himself lying on the floor of his office, his entire body aching. He guessed that Z had sent him back, but what about Kate?

He looked around, frantically searching for her. When he had found out that she was really Berg Katse, he had been momentarily disgusted, but then she had called him Kaseru… and he had known that she was guilty of no worse a deception than he was.

He loved her, and that was not going to change.

But she lay, unmoving on the floor, in the corner of the room. He felt for a pulse, but knew what he would find.

She was gone.

Erun let out the cry of a wounded animal, howling his grief, so that his alarmed men came running. His top military aide, Kempeler, entered the room.

"What happened?" he asked, rushing to his master's side.

"I trusted him…" Erun muttered.

"What? Trusted who?" Kempeler asked, confused.

"Z." growled Egobossler. "He is not to be trusted."

Kempeler nodded.

"I have felt the same." he acknowledged. "I am just sorry that you had to find this out in such a terrible fashion." The man gestured to Kate's body.

"We will use him, and then destroy him." Egobossler vowed. "Just as he destroyed my Kate."

Kempeler nodded, as Erun made a silent vow in his heart.

He would avenge Kate, no matter how long it took.


End file.
